Total births
3,380
Unisex name · since 1972
Zephaniah
Zephaniah has 3,380 recorded births since 1972 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2019 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1335
- among boys today
- 3,380
- born since 1972
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Zephaniah currently ranks #1335 among unisex names in America, with 3,380 babies recorded since 1972.
Social Security Administration records show Zephaniah recorded 3,380 times among boys since 1972, holding rank #1335 nationally today, ahead of 91% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1972 to 2025.
- #1335 among boys today
- 3,380 born since 1972
- 2010s peak decade
- 91% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Zephaniah is currently the #1335 unisex name in America, more common than 91% of boys - 3,380 born since 1972, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1335
- among boys today
- 3,380
- born since 1972
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Zephaniah vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1335
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 91% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Zephaniah was born in this single decade.
2019
Single peak year
171 babies were named Zephaniah in 2019 - its busiest year on record.
How Zephaniah compares
3,380 Top 16% higher than 84% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Zephaniah's all-time total is 9x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Zephaniah | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,380 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 171 | 23 | 22,252 |
Zephaniah's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Zephaniah splits its recorded history at 2000: 87% of all births land in the more recent half, 13% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1972 (7 births) -- compare that against the 2019 peak of 171 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Zephaniah at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2019
Current rank
#1,335
Active since
1972
Zephaniah popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1972–2025
- Peak year (2019)
- 171
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
Zephaniah popularity over time - girls
477 total births recorded since 1996 (Zephaniah as girls' name)
Zephaniah by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Zephaniah's strongest decade.
1,321 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Zephaniah births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 37
1970s
37 births
- 1980s 109
1980s
109 births
- 1990s 299
1990s
299 births
- 2000s
2000s
846 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,321 births
- 2020s
2020s
768 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 1,321 births (39% of all-time use).
How Zephaniah compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Zephaniah's total volume
Zephaniah vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Zephaniah by state
Where Zephaniah concentrates geographically, total births since 1972
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 309 | 9.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 300 | 8.9% |
| #3 | Florida | | 154 | 4.6% |
| #4 | New York | | 120 | 3.6% |
| #5 | Colorado | | 79 | 2.3% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 72 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 71 | 2.1% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 69 | 2.0% |
California share of Zephaniah's total US births 9.1%
Even split
309 of 3,380 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 26 reporting states.
Zephaniah appears in 26 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Zephaniah? ▼
3,380 babies have been named Zephaniah since 1972. It currently ranks #1335 among boys. The peak year was 2019 with 171 births.
When was Zephaniah most popular? ▼
Zephaniah was most popular in the 2010s decade with 1,321 total births. The single peak year was 2019.
Where is Zephaniah most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Zephaniah are California (309 births), Texas (300 births), Florida (154 births).
Is Zephaniah a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Zephaniah is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 3,380 births, and as a girl's name it has 477 births.
How long has the name Zephaniah been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Zephaniah since 1972 -- 54 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Zephaniah? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Zephyr, Zeppelin, Zephan, Zepplin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Zephaniah's data
- Zephaniah's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (1,321 total births) through the 2020s (768) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Zephaniahs (309 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Zephaniah
Nearby Names Like Zephaniah
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Zephaniah
Zephyr Boy
#1127 2,528 births
Zeppelin Boy
#1378 1,504 births
Zephan Boy
#5141 544 births
Zepplin Boy
#9624 129 births
Zeplin Boy
119 births
Compare Zephaniah side by side: Zephaniah vs Zephyr Zephaniah vs Zeppelin Zephaniah vs Zephan
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Zephaniah
Tyrone #1334
79,437 births · Peak 1970
Ziggy #1336
1,501 births · Peak 2022
Freddy #1333
26,796 births · Peak 1947
Haiden #1337
4,327 births · Peak 2008
Micheal #1332
154,719 births · Peak 1957
Mayson #1338
4,848 births · Peak 2012
Rylo #1331
731 births · Peak 2025
Malikai #1339
2,083 births · Peak 2022
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1972–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Zephaniah: #1335 Unisex Name - 3,380 Births, Peak 2019." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/zephaniah. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Zephaniah draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.